Colorado Gov. Jared Polis sent a letter to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield on Monday asking for assistance with preparation for flu season.
The request included more flu vaccines, personal protective equipment and additional resources to prepare for the upcoming flu season, which will begin in the fall.
In the letter he boasted of Colorado’s expansive response to the novel coronavirus.
“One of the most significant threats to our continued progress is flu season,” he wrote. “My administration has been working diligently to increase our vaccination rates. But we need to do even more this coming flu season especially among older Coloradans and our vulnerable residents, to reduce the number of flu victims in need of hospitalization and free up those beds for COVID-19 patients if needed.”
Polis asked that the agency be prepared for an increase in vaccination demand. He also pushed for the agency to help Colorado gather additional resources for local public health departments to serve rural areas.
On its website, the CDC says it’s likely that flu and the virus will spread at the same time, so it’s “more important to get a vaccine than ever.” Summit County doctors also have stressed that flu vaccines will be important to keep hospital beds open for COVID-19 patients.